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KINONDENA ng Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP) ang pagbabawal sa aklatan ng ilang unibersidad ng mga librong subersibo ang paksa.
Sinabi ng BDAP, labag ito sa constitutional right na “freedom in publishing, and freedom in thought” at hindi rito nakatutulong na maging critical thinkers ang mga mag-aaral.
“The removal of books containing sensitive or challenging subject matters is not only a clear violation of freedom in publishing, and freedom of thought, but also discourages critical thinking and empathy for one’s environment,” anang BDAP sa isang kalatas noong Sabado ng gabi.
Nag-ugat ang usapin nang pilitin ng mga pulis at sundalo mula sa National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) ang isang librarian na tanggalin sa aklatan ng Kalinga State University sa Tabuk City ang itinuturing nilang “radical books.”
Habang ang Isabela State University ay ‘boluntaryong’ isinuko ang ‘communist books’ mula sa kanilang library sa National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).
Sumunod ang Aklan State University sa Panay sa ‘pag-surrender’ ng mga umano’y “mentally unhealthy books” mula sa kanilang aklatan sa Aklan Police Provincial Office.
Habang ang University of Antique ay sinabi sa anti-communist task force na wala silang mga subersibong libro sa kanilang libraries.
Kabilang sa mga aklat na kinompiska ng militar ay mga iniakda ni Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison at mga booklet hinggil sa peace agreement ng Philippine government at ng National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), kabilang ang, “The Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law” (CARHIHL).
Giit ng BDAP, ang pag-alis ng mga babasahin na nagdetalye sa radikal na kaisipan sa Filipinas at iba pang kahalintulad na aklat ay magbubunga ng isang henerasyon na ignorante at sunud-sunuran.
“When we ban certain books, we teach our young to retreat to silence when they need to speak. We push them to close their ears from fear when they need to listen. And we let them grow blind to what they should see,” anang BDAP.
“If we are to progress as a nation, we need to read books grounded in the Filipino experience, all of it in its diversity and richness, with its long history. We must become independent thinkers and discerning, judicious learners. We must read other minds to be able to tell right from wrong.”
Nauna rito’y tumanggi si University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas Chancellor Dr. Clement Camposano na tanggalin sa mga aklatan ng unibersidad ang umano’y mga subersibong materyales at sinabing , “If we are afraid of books, then we have a problem.”
Noong 1 Nobyembre 2021, inilunsad ng isang alyansa ng Filipino teachers, researchers, school administrators, at iba pang education professionals mula sa Academics Unite for Democracy and Human Rights (AUDHR) ang Multong Aklat Endangered Books Digital Archive, isang online library ng mga libro at mga dokumentong itinuturing na subersibo ng militar.
Sa Multong Aklat makikita ang digital copies ng mga aklat at mga artikulo na klasipikado sa ilalim ng limang main folders: Martial Law Literature, Marxist Literature, Marxist-Lenist-Maoist Classics, National Democratic Front Books and Writings, at Philippine Radical Thought.
“Academic freedom is a useless concept if people do not have access to educational materials. Unfortunately, the limitations of the publishing industry in the Philippines and state neglect of education have led to our current situation in which most Filipinos cannot afford books, academic journals, and other similar texts,” nakasaad sa website.
